1.
honest person; straightforward person
A person who is truthful and sincere. Can be used positively (praising honesty) or with a nuance of being naive or too trusting.
彼は正直者だ。
He is an honest person.
正直者が馬鹿を見る世の中だ。
It's a world where honest people end up getting the short end of the stick.
昔話では正直者が最後に幸せになる。
In folk tales, the honest person finds happiness in the end.
USAGE:
The expression 正直者が馬鹿を見る (honest people get the short end of the stick) is a well-known proverb expressing the idea that being too honest can be disadvantageous. In Japanese folk tales (昔話), the honest character is typically rewarded while the dishonest one is punished.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 正直者が馬鹿を見る (honesty doesn't pay)
- 正直者は得をする (honesty pays off)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 誠実な人: sincere person — more formal
- 素直な人: straightforward, obedient person — emphasizes being receptive and unresisting